[Axe77]

Originally Posted by dockap

New car Budget 30 to 50 lakhs OTR Karnataka
Usage mostly city
Running around 1200 kms per month self driven
Will keep car for minimum 5 years so 5 year extended warranty would be nice
Resale value should be at least reasonable
Must be diesel and AT transmission

Choice between
1. Ford Endeavor 3.2 titanium
2. BMW 3GT Luxury line (2015 model)
3. BMW 3 series sports/luxury line (2015 model)
4. Audi A4 Technology pack (2015 model)
5. Estoril blue new BMW X1 AWD Msport ( book and wait for 3 months)

Some happy problems to be considering that list. Have you decided already? Curious to know which way you went.

If its not too late, I would seriously advice you to consider the all new X1 more seriously. I am told it is MUCH more spacious than the old car and I hope (I haven't seen it first hand) that it will not be as cramped as a regular 3. Manageable city footprint, likely to be less than the GT, the top of the line comes with paddle shifts etc, now comes with a proper space saver. Definitely look at it before rejecting if you're leaning GT'wards.

I personally think the Endy is a superb option as well though but of course you are right on footprint and FE. However, it WILL give you the go-anywhere peace of mind and that's an important consideration.

Another curve ball is the all new Superb. Do check it out. Its pretty competitively priced and if you don't have a serious VAG phobia (I do) it does warrant serious consideration. I love everything about the car ... but for VAG I would have bought it eyes shut.

[adithya.kp]

Thanks eagles_ta. I can live with that. How do they compare in terms of overall quality, NVH level and suspension?

Originally Posted by eagles_ts

@ adithya - Vento doesn't have enough space in the second row for it to be a comfortable chauffeur driven car. Creta will work better purely from that standpoint.

[apachelongbow]

Not sure how in this debate people are including cars such as the Creta or the EcoSport. A high ground clearance doesn't a SUV make!!
I believe in a SUV over a sedan simply because of the higher perch, go anywhere ability and ease of maneuverability. On long highway drives, lot of time I can put down two wheels on the dirt at 100/120kmph and overtake or give way, without a worry, which is impossible in a sedan, plus the high visibility helps overtaking easily, leading to far less fatigue at the end of the day.

[RJ2285]

New car Budget 10-14 Lakhs OTR

Usage City-Highway 70-30

Running around 1500kms per month self driven ONLY

I Plan to keep the car for 5 years maximum

Must be petrol and MANUAL transmission

I recently bumped off the fluidic Verna 1.4 CRDi as it clocked 1 Lakh Kms.

The Chevy beat is our family's workhorse and our BEATER car to be precise.

Choices include

1. Hyundai Creta SX plus VTVT ( Waiting period : 6 months )

2. Honda City VX MT

3. Ford Ecosport 1.5 Vct Titanium

4. Toyota Corolla Altis ( Base variant ticks all the boxes for me except Alloys - can be upgraded to after market alloys )

[Santoshbhat]

I've always preferred sedans over SUVs. Good sedans are always more pleasurable to drive. But with a large family, kids and average to poor roads SUVs do make a good case for themselves. Especially nowadays with SUVs coming in every size (small/ medium/ large) and at every price point.

Many sedans in India these days are losing their advantage in the one department they hold a definitive edge over SUVs and that is the handling department. Manufacturers are looking to improve their chances by improving the ground clearance as buyers tend to give this aspect more importance than good handling. Example : Look what Fiat did to the Linea and Punto. I just can't digest that jacked up stance. Even BMW has succumbed to it and jacked up the GC of the 3 series and 5 series. Result : They don't handle as well as before.

So when it was time to replace my sedan (Laura) I went the SUV route and picked up a BMW X3. One of the better handling SUVs out there. While it does handle very well for an SUV, I still miss that unadulterated and pure driving experience that that my Laura TSI MT delivered. For my current requirements the crossover was the best fit. Guess I am growing old.

[Rahul Rao]

It was about 3 years ago that I shifted from a MUV to a Hatch, and it just doesn't work. My average travel which was about 40K to 60K km a year is down to just about 15k.
The issue is the option of sitting down in a crouched position, with either the seat closer to the steering and no thigh support, or seat pushed back for thigh support and hands stretched ahead to reach the steering. Low seat leading to more glare from on comming cars. Getting tired within 2-3 Hrs of highway run where as the previous Innova has been driven at times 500+ km between stops.
Next change will be back to a SUV with proper high seating, probably a XUV500AT, or an Innova Crysta AT.

Rahul

[printh]

Good thread. But, my pick would be a crossover which sits between sedan and SUV almost in all the aspects. It gives the handling, ride comfort & also the FE on par with sedans.
But given only these two choices, and keeping current road conditions in mind, I would choose SUV since I like to drive a lot and plan to cover entire India by driving. It gives the peace of mind driving through all kinds of roads, speed humps without clenching the gluteus and waiting for the underbody to scrape every once in a while.
To add to this, I would prefer a minimum capacity turbo petrol/ Diesel engine belting out at least 125 HP/ 300 Nm torque with a mixed efficiency of 15 Kmpl & a 6-speed manual GB.

[Rahul Rao]

Originally Posted by printh

Good thread. But, my pick would be a crossover which sits between sedan and SUV almost in all the aspects. It gives the handling, ride comfort & also the FE on par with sedans.

The Duster is what fits your need if you can ignore the outdated interior.
Handling and effeciency of a car, clearance of a SUV, good rigid structure, visiblity and reasonable seat height, not too low like most sedans, neither to high to induce roll.

Rahul

[romeomidhun]

Sedan is the most in-efficient way of utilizing the space. The space above the boot is completely unusable in a sedan. In a hatchback, the boot is cut short so that the car is more compact; and in an SUV, it is brought inside the car to add extra seat / luggage area (usually). So, a sedan is a strict no to me.

[Guite]

Sedan vs SUV (or rather mini SUV): I am having a hard time deciding between VW Vento and Hyundai Creta.

Vento :
For: timeless elegant design, solid build
Against: 1.6 petrol engine not as refined as the Creta's

Creta:
For: refined engine, ego massage , wifey likes it for same reason
Against: ugly front (my opinion)

[sourabhzen]

Originally Posted by Guite

Vento :
For: timeless elegant design, solid build

That is only point going in favor of Vento, for every thing else it is Creta. Most important are the engine and the peace of mind which are far better in Creta than a Vento (IMO).

[kkkkkaran]

Originally Posted by Guite

Sedan vs SUV (or rather mini SUV): I am having a hard time deciding between VW Vento and Hyundai Creta.

Vento :
For: timeless elegant design, solid build
Against: 1.6 petrol engine not as refined as the Creta's

Creta:
For: refined engine, ego massage , wifey likes it for same reason
Against: ugly front (my opinion)

If being compared against the creta, then why not the 1.2tsi dsg on the vento. That combination is the best you can find in the segment. Buy extended warranty and you are sorted.
Hyundai doesnt make very good petrol engines. If the creta, then the 1.6 diesel only.

[asr245]

Originally Posted by Guite

Sedan vs SUV (or rather mini SUV): I am having a hard time deciding between VW Vento and Hyundai Creta.

Vento :
For: timeless elegant design, solid build
Against: 1.6 petrol engine not as refined as the Creta's

Creta:
For: refined engine, ego massage , wifey likes it for same reason
Against: ugly front (my opinion)

Has to be the Creta. Though it's a psuedo SUV but the high GC & high seating matters a lot on Indian roads. Since you appear to be in Noida/NCR, get a bull bar installed at the rear. Will make an average village goon think twice before getting too close.

(I say that as just yesterday, 2 village idiots in a white safari scraped my City's rear bumper & then hurled abuses at me & tried to intimidate me)

Originally Posted by kkkkkaran

Hyundai doesnt make very good petrol engines. If the creta, then the 1.6 diesel only.

According to our own reviewers, the 1.6 petrol in Creta is only 2nd the Honda's 1.5 i-Vtec. So I am guessing, it's not that bad.

[Guite]

Originally Posted by sourabhzen

Most important are the engine and the peace of mind which are far better in Creta than a Vento (IMO).

Originally Posted by kkkkkaran

If being compared against the creta, then why not the 1.2tsi dsg on the vento. That combination is the best you can find in the segment. Buy extended warranty and you are sorted.
Hyundai doesnt make very good petrol engines. If the creta, then the 1.6 diesel only.

Have been reading the Vento TSI jerking issue thread and wondering whether sacrificing peace of mind will be worth it.

Originally Posted by asr245

According to our own reviewers, the 1.6 petrol in Creta is only 2nd the Honda's 1.5 i-Vtec. So I am guessing, it's not that bad.

I have found the Hyundai 1.6 to be very refined. I have not test driven the Honda City because I just do not like its' looks, fit and finish.

[vivekgk]

Perhaps, we need a new thread that compares mini SUVs to sedans...

I'm interested in SUVs because I'm sick and tired of crawling in and out of the enormous potholes on our highways, and having to slow down to a crawl even on the relatively less broken surfaces for fear of breaking my car's suspension on some brand new trench that formed last week.

In fact, it took me 8 hours today to cover a distance of 250 kms from Kochi to Trivandrum, in my Indigo. While I could go fast once i entered MC Road, even this once-haven of reasonably quick travel is now unpredictable, with occasional hazards, organic and inorganic. If I'd been in an SUV I'm sure I'd have covered the distance hours earlier or at the very least,a lot less worn out.

In fact I'm canceling my booking for the baleno and changing it to S-Cross or TUV.

So, which of the Ecosport, TUV, Nuvosport and the SCross has the best ride on fully broken roads?